OMICRON symptoms last for half the length of a common cold, a new study has found.
People who are fully vaccinated can expect to bounce back from the bug in quicker timeframe than if they have the sniffles.
The new research, from King’s College London, looked at thousands of vaccinated people who caught Omicron, and compared those who had two or three jabs.
Those who had the triple shot fared far better, suffering symptoms for an average of 4.4 days, with those just double jabbed feeling ill for 8.3 days.
The common cold tends to hang on for around seven to ten days.
However, it is not clear if this study took BA.2 into account, which much of the nation is now picking up.
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But most studies have found it to be very similar to original Omicron, so it is likely to match up with this research.
Tim Spector, Lead Scientist on the ZOE COVID Study and Professor from King’s College London said: “It’s an amazing scientific feat that barely a few months since Omicron took hold in the UK, the teams at King’s College London and ZOE have been able to produce rapid conclusive answers to these key clinical questions on symptom and severity.”
Professor Ana Valdes, an Hon Professor at King’s College London comments: “Although there is still a wide-range of duration and severity of symptoms with Omicron, for vaccinated individuals we find on average a shorter duration of symptoms.
“This suggests that the incubation time and period of infectiousness for Omicron may also be shorter.”
The research shows the risk of catching Covid is also halved after having a booster shot.
If you do then get it chances are you are less infectious, have shorter symptoms and they are milder.
The two symptoms that were consistently more prevalent among Omicron than Delta cases were a sore throat and hoarse voice.
And symptoms such as brain fog, eye burning, dizziness, fever, and headaches, though still occurring, were all significantly less prevalent in Omicron cases.
Researchers also found Omicron doesn’t seem to hit the lungs as hard, and doesn’t linger for as long as in vaccinated people.
It comes as health chiefs have called for Covid restrictions – such as masks and mixing limits – to be brought back as hospital patient numbers rise.
The latest Office for National Statistics figures show one in 13 people in England are infected with Covid, after hitting a record high.
Sajid Javid said this was to be expected after restrictions were lifted, and the Government isn’t concerned due to Omicron causing a milder illness.
But the NHS Confederation has urged for “mitigating actions” – limits on indoor mixing and masks in crowded spaces – to be brought back in to stem the spread of the virus.
Vaccines are the best line of defence, health bosses say, with a new study showing symptoms in the triple jabbed last on average half as long as a common cold.
Spring boosters are being dished out for certain groups in society, to keep their immunity high.
Free tests have now ended for the majority of people in England, with Brits being asked to be responsible with any illness that pops up.
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Only the vulnerable, including those in high-risk jobs and with health conditions, will be eligible to pick up swabs without paying.
Everyone else in England now has to pay around £1 for a single swab or a tenner for a pack, to check if they have the virus.
